First time on Le shuttle, any tips?

[PIGGLET]

I'm heading to Folkestone tomorrow night in order to catch the shuttle at 8.30 on Friday on a last minute solo jaunt to the Alps. Having never ventured over the water on two wheels or used the shuttle before are there any tips for a smooth experience?

 

[ChasMill]

Take a clothes peg. That way you can attach the boarding pass to your screen, without having to fish about for it?
Bikes board last. If there are other bikes travelling, follow their lead as (if they have any sense), they will wait to board at the bottom of the ramp, rather than trying to hold the bike on the brakes.
Keep you passport to hand as you will have to show it twice at each end (before you board the train).

 

[Engineer]

They were giving out free wooden clothes pegs last time I went

Relly tight hairpin bends in the Alps can be a little daunting first time - ride slow, don't run wide and try not to stall, sometimes best to wait for oncoming traffic to pass before negotiating the bend

 

[scooter paul]

Fuel up before the Tunnel. I use J11 services. Others have posted alternatives.

 

[Barnoe]

Its an easy process just follow another biker as said above.
Its a slow queue and wait situation so you have plenty time to think, its not rushed.

Once entering the train a nice lady will indicate where to park your front wheel.
just go slow and take your time.

you will ride the train stood next to your bike, start chatting with other bikers and before you know it, you will be over.
time to start the bike and ride off inside the full length of the train.
You will exit straight onto road, no more checks.... away you ride.

 

[wessie]

Fuel up before the Tunnel. I use J11 services. Others have posted alternatives.

M20J10, Tesco, rejoin M20 at new J10A

 

[Coppertop]

Very easy, follow the biker in front of you. Keep your ticket and passport close to hand. Can't go far wrong. It's all signed well and the staff are nice. Can get fuel in Ashford sainsburys or there's a in Folkestone by maccies.

 

[Oldrat]

If you arrive early you may well be offered the option of an earlier train, otherwise chill in the restaurant.

Enjoy your trip, sounds grand

 

[L2RKE]

If you arrive early you may well be offered the option of an earlier train, otherwise chill in the restaurant.

Enjoy your trip, sounds grand

I believe I read somewhere that this has been stopped...
No harm in trying though.

 

[glenn2926]

There’s a filling station as you leave the train station in France. The amount you save trying to fill up before departure will not even buy you one small beer.
Have a great trip.

 

[g00ner]

Don’t ride on the centre of the carriage - it’s a cable duct and is loose if you cross it. Pop your front wheel up to the ‘kerb’ when parking in the carriage and leave it in gear on the side stand.

Have your booking reference to hand when at the booking in booths as the ANPR won’t be able to read your index. You’ll need to put it in manually via the touch screen.

 

[EVskiy]

M20J10, Tesco, rejoin M20 at new J10A

Indeed the easiest way to refuel and probably the cheapest without paying motorway services premium for the privilege.
My go to place to refuel, when getting on to the train across to France.

 

[EVskiy]

If you arrive early you may well be offered the option of an earlier train, otherwise chill in the restaurant.

Enjoy your trip, sounds grand

New system is to arrive an hour before departure time, in other words do not miss your check-in time deadline. If you arrive say an hour and ten minutes early, you might get a train departure offer that will depart thirty minutes early.
If however you do arrive say fifty minutes before your original (chosen) departure time, the check in timeframe will be closed and you will technically miss your train, the only way to resolve this, is to buy new ticket.

 

[EVskiy]

I believe I read somewhere that this has been stopped...
No harm in trying though.

Not true. It is still offered, providing you allow plenty of time to check in. I think this was introduced to stop people chancing it and arriving to the terminal with minutes to spare, then missing a train due to queueing and then staff having to find you a place on an already full train departing 30 minutes later.

This was me on two occasions back in May

Outbound crossing:



And same for inbound crossing.

 

[wessie]

New system is to arrive an hour before departure time, in other words do not miss your check-in time deadline. If you arrive say an hour and ten minutes early, you might get a train departure offer that will depart thirty minutes early.
If however you do arrive say fifty minutes before your original (chosen) departure time, the check in timeframe will be closed and you will technically miss your train, the only way to resolve this, is to buy new ticket.

this is not accurate advice as there are multiple ticket types with different T&C and we do not know which ticket the OP has bought

there is a +1 hour window on a standard ticket - the ticket is only cancelled if you are more than an hour late. Arrive 50 mins after departure time booked and you will still be offered a new slot if it is too late to get on the booked train.

also, if the ticket was bought before the new T&C came into effect in March this year, then the old t&C apply. This is causing a lot of confusion in some places as people post they were allowed a 2 hour window for free yesterday. Although, I guess the OP has a newly bought "last minute" ticket but we do not know if it is the standard, std plus, flexi or one of the very restricted tickets.

Anyone travelling on Le Shuttle should read THIS that details the T&C for different ticket types

 

[GrinningGSer]

I noticed that several tie their bikes to the side handrail .
Has anyone experienced a sudden stop with a cascade of bikes falling over ?

 

[EVskiy]

this is not accurate advice as there are multiple ticket types with different T&C and we do not know which ticket the OP has bought

there is a +1 hour window on a standard ticket - the ticket is only cancelled if you are more than an hour late. Arrive 50 mins after departure time booked and you will still be offered a new slot if it is too late to get on the booked train.

also, if the ticket was bought before the new T&C came into effect in March this year, then the old t&C apply. This is causing a lot of confusion in some places as people post they were allowed a 2 hour window for free yesterday. Although, I guess the OP has a newly bought "last minute" ticket but we do not know if it is the standard, std plus, flexi or one of the very restricted tickets.

Anyone travelling on Le Shuttle should read THIS that details the T&C for different ticket types

Fair enough.

 

[PIGGLET]

Brilliant, thanks for all the replies and info guys, it's hugely appreciated.

 

[EVskiy]

I noticed that several tie their bikes to the side handrail .
Has anyone experienced a sudden stop with a cascade of bikes falling over ?

I think it is a stupid idea to have bikes parked the way the do. I think there’s less risk in bike going over if it is was to be parked in the direction of travel with front wheel straight, on a side stand and in 1st gear.

After all not man have come off their bikes traveling in a straight line and doing emergency stop, however plenty have slid across the road or have been high sides of their bike when applying emergency braking procedure when breaking hard in the bend.

Just my thinking.

 

[leadfarmer]

Not true. It is still offered, providing you allow plenty of time to check in. I think this was introduced to stop people chancing it and arriving to the terminal with minutes to spare, then missing a train due to queueing and then staff having to find you a place on an already full train departing 30 minutes later.

This was me on two occasions back in May

Outbound crossing:

View attachment 422482

And same for inbound crossing.

I always turn up early

I pretty much always get put on the next train leaving, hardly ever waited for the one I booked